Powerball ticket sales up in Kentucky ahead of $1B drawing. These are the odds
Ticket sales are spiking ahead of tonight’s Powerball drawing, with an estimated $1 billion jackpot in the mix.
A Kentucky Lottery spokesperson told the Herald-Leader Powerball sales ahead of the Halloween night drawing had brought in nearly $930,000 by Monday afternoon.
More than half a million tickets have already been sold in the state as of noon, the spokesperson stated.
“This number is going to continue to climb exponentially, but as of noon today, we have sold 500,877 tickets (in Kentucky), totaling sales of nearly $930,000, for tonight’s Powerball drawing,” Jennifer Cunningham, a senior communications specialist at the Kentucky Lottery, wrote in an email Monday.
Here’s what to know about tonight’s Powerball drawing – which reportedly carries the second-largest jackpot in the game’s 30-year history.
What are your odds of winning the Powerball?
According to the Kentucky Lottery, players have 1 in 292,201,338 odds for every $2 play they buy.
For the second-place prize – worth $1 million – the odds of winning are 1 in 11,688,054 per play. Players win the second-place prize by matching all five white balls, but not the Powerball.
For comparison, you have a much greater chance of being struck by lightning – less than 1 in a million in a given year, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How much tax would you pay if you did win?
Kentucky takes a 6% cut from all lottery winnings, and the federal government takes a 25% tax.
Should you decide to take the lump sum, you will pay all taxes at once. But if you decide to take the annuity payments, taxes will be paid over time.
Where can I buy a Powerball ticket in Kentucky?
You can buy a ticket online at kylottery.com or search for a lottery retailer near you.
If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, help is available at 1-800-522-4700.
Do you have a question about the lottery in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.